Ruthenium nitrosyl complexes of the
general formulas (cation)+[cis-RuCl4(NO)(Hazole)]−, where (cation)+ = (H2ind)+, Hazole = 1H-indazole
(Hind) (1c), (cation)+ = (H2pz)+, Hazole = 1H-pyrazole (Hpz) (2c), (cation)+ = (H2bzim)+, Hazole
= 1H-benzimidazole (Hbzim) (3c), (cation)+ = (H2im)+, Hazole = 1H-imidazole (Him) (4c) and (cation)+[trans-RuCl4(NO)(Hazole)]−,
where (cation)+ = (H2ind)+, Hazole
= 1H-indazole (1t), (cation)+ = (H2pz)+, Hazole = 1H-pyrazole
(2t), as well as osmium analogues of the general formulas
(cation)+[cis-OsCl4(NO)(Hazole)]−, where (cation)+ = (n-Bu4N)+, Hazole =1H-indazole (5c), 1H-pyrazole (6c), 1H-benzimidazole (7c), 1H-imidazole
(8c), (cation)+ = Na+; Hazole =1H-indazole (9c), 1H-benzimidazole
(10c), (cation)+ = (H2ind)+, Hazole = 1H-indazole (11c),
(cation)+ = H2pz+, Hazole = 1H-pyrazole (12c), (cation)+ = (H2im)+, Hazole = 1H-imidazole (13c), and (cation)+[trans-OsCl4(NO)(Hazole)]−, where (cation)+ = n-Bu4N+, Hazole = 1H-indazole (5t), 1H-pyrazole
(6t), (cation)+ = Na+, Hazole =
1H-indazole (9t), (cation)+ = (H2ind)+, Hazole = 1H-indazole
(11t), (cation)+ = (H2pz)+, Hazole = 1H-pyrazole (12t), have
been synthesized. The compounds have been comprehensively characterized
by elemental analysis, ESI mass spectrometry, spectroscopic techniques
(IR, UV–vis, 1D and 2D NMR) and X-ray crystallography (1c·CHCl3, 1t·CHCl3, 2t, 3c, 6c, 6t, 8c). The antiproliferative activity of water-soluble
compounds (1c, 1t, 3c, 4c and 9c, 9t, 10c, 11c, 11t, 12c, 12t, 13c) in the human cancer cell lines A549 (nonsmall cell lung
carcinoma), CH1 (ovarian carcinoma), and SW480 (colon adenocarcinoma)
has been assayed. The effects of metal (Ru vs Os), cis/trans isomerism,
and azole heterocycle identity on cytotoxic potency and cell line
selectivity have been elucidated. Ruthenium complexes (1c, 1t, 3c, and 4c) yielded
IC50 values in the low micromolar concentration range.
In contrast to most pairs of analogous ruthenium and osmium complexes
known, they turned out to be considerably more cytotoxic than chemically
related osmium complexes (9c, 9t, 10c, 11c, 11t, 12c, 12t, 13c). The IC50 values of Os/Ru
homologs differ by factors (Os/Ru) of up to ∼110 and ∼410
in CH1 and SW480 cells, respectively. ESI-MS studies revealed that
ascorbic acid may activate the ruthenium complexes leading to hydrolysis
of one M–Cl bond, whereas the osmium analogues tend to be inert.
The interaction with myoglobin suggests nonselective adduct formation;
i.e., proteins may act as carriers for these compounds.